Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/183

 Marcu 1, 1872. THE BUILDING NEWS. 167. THE BUILDING NEWS. —_@——_ LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1872. PRINCE ALFRED’S CABINET AT KENSINGTON. HE Duke of Edinburgh, in the course of a five years’ cruize, which carried him round the world, collected the materials of a small, but most magnificent museum, the principal riches of which are now displayed to the public at South Kensington. They consti- tute, so to speak, a panoramic view of indus- try and civilisation in nearly every latitude of the globe, but, imperial and unique, ‘‘the gorgeous East ” still maintains its supremacy. Naturally, however, prior attention is given to the good ship (Galatea herself, the scenes of which she formed a part, and her adventures among the winds and waves. All these are in water-colours, executed with consummate spirit and delicacy, by Mr. O. W. Brierly, and Mr. N. Chevalier. Butthough these, lighting up an infinite variety of land- scapes and sea-glimpses, wave effects, coast outlines, and characteristic architecture, are exceedingly interesting, they are not so illus- trative as many other parts of the collection, though it is well worth while to examine the sketches, for instance, of fortified villages in New Zealand, of Queen Pomares’ palace in Tahiti, of mansions in Honolulu, of imperial gardens and palaces in Japan, of the river villages in China, of Chinese taverns, of the walls of Pekin, of cock-pits in Manilla, of Indian tombs and temples, and of ancient religious shrines in Ceylon. But we instinc- tively turn from these to the more dazzling array of ‘‘ objects of science and art.” And first a compliment is due to the marvellous beauty and finish of workmanship exhibited by the gold and silversmiths and enamellers of the British Colonies. Some of the golden trowels, with ivory and malachite handles, jewelled, are wonders in their way, as are a number of polished caskets, containing richly- illuminated addresses, examples of sumptuous binding, inkstands, models in precious metals of machinery, figures of animals, epergnes, mounted trophies of sport, signet rings, vases formed of emu and other egg-shells, set in silver, compasses devised as charms, and silver spades, used in turning first sods, in profusion sufficient to furnish a shop in Bond- street or the Rue de la Paix. The Duke must have laid more foundation stones than he can well remember, and be a practised mason by this time. With this necessary acknowledgment of the progress in the de- corative arts which our Colonial brethren are making, with the happy assistance of gold, silver, and jewel mines at their very feet, we pass on among the Asiatic miscel- lanies, some of which are perfect studies in themselves. All that comes from Japan is characteristic of that ingenious, formal, highly-painted, quaintly-shaped, long-iso- lated region, which is at last contemplating the construction of arailway! Its volumes of lacquer and silk, folding like screens, are so many visions of bright birds, prim gardens, soldiers in terrible mail, wielding yet more terrible weapons, singular customs, not en- tirely unpicturesque, and as singular faces, strange in colour and expression, half simple and half cunning, with an immense amount of artifice about them. Some of the lacquer, especially that known as avanturine, could scarcely be surpassed. It is curious to ob- serve how extensively this lacquer work prevails in the industry of Japan. You have lacquered cabinets, lacquered reading-desks, lacquered tables, lacquered sword and dagger sheaths, lacquered boxes, trays, toys, and even bells. But perhaps more interesting is the metal-work of the country. There is one extraordinary specimen, said to be three centu- ries old. This isa large ornamental incense burner, in three stages, each with representa- tions in high relief, or in detached pieces of rock-work, with cascades, trees, flowers, and birds; on the middle stage is a man stand- ing on the sea-shore, invoking or de- precating a dragon; in addition, there is a wooden stand, somewhat rudely carved, so as to suggest the idea of waves, although it is a most characteristic example. In another sense the Japanese cabinets present a charac- ter of their own, in the oddity of the designs they affect, boxes in the form of cray-fish or quails, incense burners resembling ele- phants carrying pagodas, or a kylin grasping a ball, or a cock in the act of crowing, or a boy riding on the back of a monster, or a cavalry officer, or a barrel resting on a pedestal, or a cocoa-nut over which a rat is keeping watch, or three tortoises slumbering on arock, ora skull. Then, it will be re- marked by those who visit this exhibition with a purpose above that of merely gazing at the glitter of gold and silver and embroi- dery, that the Japanese have an almost Ger- man notion of comedy, which the other nations of the East rarely, if ever, deve- lope. Thereis a bronze image of a man as humorous as anything that ever came out of Nuremberg, and a set of grotesque figures, to be used as buttons, are irresistibly ludicrous, while, of all things else, they have contrived to give a laughter-moying expres- sion to a basket, which might be thought im- possible were it not that we have positively seen the drawing of a tree that was over- poweringly comical. We must note, en passant, that a figure, seated in bronze, and described as an effigy of the heathen deity Buddha, is so described without the slightest warrant. It has not a single attribute of that god, and is more probably derived from the conception of some local semi-divine hero. The other metal-work from Japan is various, and possesses peculiar attractions—the silver inlay, the great bronze cisterns; the vases with wrought and chased surfaces, the candlesticks manufactured of a curious amalgam, bronze filigree, masses of gold lacquer, iron sword-guards and a most fascinating little object—a small square cloisonné enamel-box and cover. ‘The other industries illustrated here which, if we may say so, identify themselves with Japan, are shown, for example, in a musical instrument with one string and two ivory plectra; some magnificent porcelain vases, gorgeously tinted, a cluster of Satsuma bottles, dishes, and jardiniéres, perfectly unique, some tobacco- pipes of hideousness not to be produced any- ‘where out of Japan, or, at any rate, some- where near China; girdle clasps in a warm- coloured enamel; wooden puzzles, to which the Imperial people attach an incredible importance ; baskets, very excellent, of split bamhoo ; crape dresses dyed in dark blue, with bottom borders suggesting sedges and water; screens illuminated by ‘‘ processions of grasshoppers ;” and brooches of bronzed silver, which last seems like an inversion of nature and taste. We now leave Japan and, with proper respect, approach the vermilion realm of China, immemorial and immutable. It is far more pretentious, splendid, and colossal than the Island Empire. It brings porcelain garden seats—porcelain being to China what lacquer is to Japan—old porcelain vases with luxurious maroon grounds, adorned by dainty pink figures in dancing attitudes; great dragon jars, valuable specimens of crimson, or * bull-blood” glaze ; and a hundred other national varieties, including, of course, the precious ‘‘crackle;” tall vases, such as used to fill with the fetid scent of pot pourri the halls of Mayfair; fruit dishes painted with purple flowers on celadon surfaces ; figures of women, children, unicorns, chi- meras, military officials, delicious little tea- cups and trays, emulous of the Bourbon blue ; most elaborate imitations of sculpture, me- dallions, basins, and specimens of the rare and inimitable tint known as ‘ moonlight.” We find some very striking samples of Chinese art and industry in these cabinets, among which are resplendent embroidered silks, applied to pillows, cushions, chair- covers, ‘‘ table-fronts,” and mandarin-robes, whence all the picturesque fancy of China, centuries old, seems to shine as freshly and brightly as ever. Confessing that we do not comprehend the ‘‘ whistle used by the Chinese to affix to the tails of pigeons,” we pause to admire the Loo-Choo enamels, the dinner— services in jade, the carved agates, the laughably life-like mannikins in burnt and’ coloured clay, and a group of superb cloisonné enamel vases, some with ring, and others with dragon handles, the tints of which literally glow through their varnish. Of course, there is a perfect treasury of egg- shell porcelain, light as bubbles, and match- lessly pure, pilgrims’ bottles, snuff bottles, covered cups, boat-shaped saucers, and tea- pots, displaying every conceivable eccen- tricity of taste. Superior to all these, how- ever, is a model in silver parcel-gilt filigree of a pagoda and buildings, surrounded by trees. It is to be doubted whether the parallel of this has ever been seen in England. It is Swiss in its complexity of detail, but thoroughly Asiatic in every other respect; a picture in full relief, delicate, tempting, and natural ; in point of fact, a bit of China, im- ported in silver, so pretty, so glistening, and so subtly-wrought, that the ancient question returns to us whether the arts, after all, did not come to the West from the East. In wood-carvings, moreover, the Chinese’ excel, and it would be superfluous to mention their ivory wonders, which are familiar all over~ the world. It is a little remarkable, indeed, that the Duke of Edinburgh did not bring home: with him a set of original Chinese chessmen. With this regret, let us take leave of the Celestial Empire, and signalise a few at- tractions by the way before telling the reader what he may expect when he unveils, ly a visit, the Indian cabinets. We have had enough of trowels, or there might be plenty more to mention. From the island of Singapore is a beautiful silver firestand, consisting of a perforated cup, resting on a plateau, supported by three stars and cres- cents connected with a tripod stand ; also another of similar pattern, but in gold. Ceylon contributes an exquisite sandal-wood cabinet, decorated with carvings illustrative of the Hindoo mythology, a considerable amount of loyal gold and silyer-work, in the form of trowels and presentation cases, some rich gold bangles, a pair of immense elephant’s tusks, mounted in the precious metals, and a model in ivory of an elephant made from one of that animal’s teeth. We have from Australia, after trowels, principally birds, wedgetailed eagles, hawks, herons, owls, black swans, albatrosses, and petrels; but, with them, samples of gold in nugget and in dust; from New Zealand, the carved figure-head of a canoe; mats of flaxand Kiwi feathers ; greenstone clubs, of hereditary veneration and value; native weapons ; and, once more, anugget. It will be seen how we were justified in saying that the characteristics of the various nationalities illustrate themselves in these collections. We must skip the Mauritius, which is hardly acountry at all; Tasmania, which is only a colonised desert ; Queensland, where there was nothing better to be bought than the jaw of a gigantic kangaroo; Malacca, which is represented by a pair of cock-spurs as Manilla is by one; and linger an instant with Tahiti and the Sandwich Isles, rendered con- spicuous by bowls of the famous ‘ Kou ” wood, calabashes, cocoa-nut cups, finger- basins, feather-tippets, worthy, any day, of a Regent-street window, fans of state, whistles, christening-scoops, carpets of flax, and a marvellous robe woven from the tissue of the plantain, and which was, on a grand cere- monial occasion, worn by his Royal High- ness himself, who must then have looked particularly unlike the captain of a frigate in the British nayy. Turning to the Indian collections, we